via @Ars Technica

Will tablets continue to grow? Will people try other devices after the honeymoon period is over? The next few quarters should give us answers to a lot of these questions.

AsusTek is one of those companies that does not hold back even when going against the giants in the computer industry. Apple iPad has already generated a whole lot of buzz and is expected to be one formidable tablet to beat. That does not mean that Asus won’t be trying. Asus already has tablet netbooks that can give you the best of both worlds. But the company is working on at least two tablet PCs to challenge the iPad head on. Jonney Shih, chairman of Asus, put it best:

Netbooks are the best combination of personal computing and cloud computing… But between netbooks and smartphones and e-readers, we think there will be a space for something like a tablet or slate PC

While we don’t agree with the general “best computing experience” assessment, there is going to be a market for iPad like tablets. And that’s exactly what AsusTek will be going for. One of these models is expected to come with Chrome OS and run other Google software. A prototype of such a device was presented at CES earlier this year, and the final product should not be too dramatically different (feature-wise).

Can Asus Eee Pad hold up its own against the iPad? That remains to be seen. Pricing and computing power does come into play. Eee Pad won’t have all the apps that the iPad will be taking advantage of. So it’s essential for AsusTek to compensate for that somehow. Will the company price its Eee Pad close or above the iPad? That’s something we will have to wait and see.

Many gadget fans have been dying for Apple to announce its own netbook line. Apple has proved in the past that it won’t do anything to damage its brand, and it does not consider netbooks as a real way for it to move forward. Netbooks may be portable, energy efficient, and affordable, but that’s not the business Apple is in. Apple is in the business of producing some of the best premium computers on the planet. So it was no surprise to hear Apple COO squash the rumors about Apple working on its own netbook:

Our goal is not to build the most computers, it’s to build the best. At this point, we don’t see the way to build a great product for this $399, $499, this kind of price point unit.

Sad but everyone needs to hear it to get some closure on this issue. As much as I want to believe that Apple may change its mind, this whole netbook issue is a big dilemma for it. Apple is not a recession-friendly brand. It’s not part of Apple’s strategy to develop affordable, cheap devices. In fact, with $500, you may not even be able to get an Apple Macbook’s parts, let alone a fully-fledged netbook. But there is good news here as well. Apple has been rumored to be working on a MediaPad for a long long time, and Apple’s COO is not willing to discount the idea:

I never want to discount anything in the future, and never want to specifically discuss new products.

As I have mentioned in the past, the problem for Apple is not creating a light-weight, energy efficient product. It’s all about the pricing. Netbook is a brand that is associated with cheap laptops. Apple is not into that market, and I am not sure it’d make sense for the company to enter this business now. It only creates brand confusion for the consumers and not a smart move in my opinion. However, introducing an iPod DX could be a good move for Apple and the fans. Who knows. iPhone DX may actually outperform some of the netbooks already available on the market.

Steve Jobs has talked about how Apple will not be releasing a netbook, but this market is too rich for Apple to ignore. Apple may not release a netbook per se, but there will a device that does a similar job. We can go on and on about why Apple should indeed introduce a netbook. But in reality, a $500 Apple netbook does not seem likely. Apple is not known for playing a conservative game with its pricing, which means an Apple MediaPad will be more likely. Whatever the plan, Apple will certainly surprise us at WWDC. It always does.

This week we have heard more about Apple netbook that we have in years. Something must be up! In fact, most analysts are now sure that Apple has indeed been working on another revolutionary device. Asian reporters have been all over this story. It seems Apple employees have been scanning books in Apple headquarters, and Apple has worked on a touchscreen device with its Asian partners.

An Apple netbook can accelerate the growth of this market. The netbook market is one of the fastest growing segments of the computer industry, but it can move to the next level with the introduction of a game changer from Apple. The latest rumor that is going around the web is the possibility of Apple releasing an “iTouch” or what I would like to call iPod XL. I do like the concept of having a bigger iPod Touch, but I am not sure that would address Apple’s need to make a move in the netbook market. An iPod Touch is a great gadget, but it’s certainly not a netbook.

I wouldn’t put it past Apple to try to milk the iPod Touch product line even more, but what the netbook market needs right now is a real netbook and not an iPod XL. People need to be able to type with their both hands and get work done while they are on the go. That’s why I see a keyboard on this mystery device, which means it will be more of a Macbook and less of an iPod.

What’s your take? Could an iPod XL compete with netbooks?

For a company that didn’t seem too interested in the netbook market, Apple has had so many rumors going on about its imminent release of a netbook computer. We are hearing now that Apple is working on a netbook-iPhone hybrid. Not only that, even the guys on theStreet.com have caught on with these rumors.

Apple may not release its netbook till early 2010, but the fact that it is planning to enter this market should strike fear in its competitors’ hearts. We all know what happened when Apple decided to get in and crush the competition in the mobile market. If the rumors about a touchscreen tablet-netbook hybrid are true, then it will be mightily tough for other companies to compete with Apple.

Your take: would you like to see tablet features on your netbook?

Apple has arguably the best and most popular laptops on the market. Macbook and Macbook Pro are great laptops for folks who want portable computers for business or college student work. But what Apple hasn’t done so far is enter the netbook market. Steve Jobs and other top Apple executives have been clear about what they think of the netbook market. But the iPhone is not a netbook. It’s a great gadget but is not designed to get office work done. Macbook Air is a decent laptop, but that is not a netbook either. It’s way too expensive for that.

Apple has argued in the past that they can’t imagine themselves offering a $500 Mac netbook. It’s easy to see why offering a device that cheap can go against the image that Apple has tried to project in the past. Apple is a premium brand, and there is nothing premium about a $500 laptop. The trouble is, the netbook market is outpacing all other segments of the computer industry. Apple may not want to make a netbook, but at some point they will be forced to reconsider their decision. Let’s face it: An Apple netbook completes the company’s product line. As much as Apple hates to sell cheap laptops, a $500 netbook is anything but cheap in this market. So I expect Apple to enter the netbook market in early 2010 at the latest.

Your take: will we see Apple netbook anytime soon?

Whatever the case, it will be very exciting to see Mac OS on a Netbook. Apple has some of the best laptops on the market. Why not bring the gift of “AppleBooks” to us consumer?